Yoga is and has always been a popular practice for many people. Today it has become even more popular and is practiced by millions of people in the United States alone (Time Magazine 2001). People attending yoga classes bring their own yoga mats since a person must have a yoga mat to practice yoga. Most persons have great difficulty in carrying their yoga mats because mats need to be rolled up. Yoga mats are awkward in size and shape so they are usually carried under the armpit. Yoga students attending classes also carry their personal belongings, purses, backpacks, keys, towels, books, computers, etc. and it is quite difficult for them to keep their yoga mats rolled up tightly enough to stay under their arms without the mats sliding down and eventually unrolling and falling to the ground.
While yoga backpacks and carry bags do exist, they are too much trouble, because a person has to carefully fold and unfold the yoga mat just to get it in and out of the backpack or bag. In addition, the yoga mat becomes odor filled and moldy, from perspiration, dirty yoga room floors and body odor. Then, after a yoga class, stuffing this mat into a carry bag to be stored, does not allow fresh air to clear the odor. The yoga mat of this invention is simple, quick and easy to roll up and carry and to roll out for class.
In my prior application I described a yoga mat manufactured from a single piece of material in which the securing straps were an integral part of the original part of the material. While that method of manufacture of my yoga mat has certain advantages, another method of manufacture and assembly of the yoga mat has other and different advantages.